"The Reason" is a song by Canadian singer

Celine Dion Céline Marie Claudette Dion ( ; born 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer. Noted for her powerful and technically skilled vocals, Dion is the best-selling Canadian recording artist, and the best-selling French-language artist of all time. Her ...

, recorded for her fifth English-language studio album, ''

Let's Talk About Love ''Let's Talk About Love'' is the fifth English-language and fifteenth studio album by Canadian singer Celine Dion, released on 14 November 1997, by Columbia and Epic Records. The follow-up to the commercially successful '' Falling into You'' ...

'' (1997). It was written by

Carole King Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who has been active since 1958, initially as one of the staff songwriters at 1650 Broadway and later as a solo artist. Regarded as one ...

, Mark Hudson and

Greg Wells Greg Wells is a Canadian musician, record producer, songwriter and audio engineer. Wells has songs on over 130 million albums sold. He has worked with John Legend, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ariana Grande, Jazmine Sullivan, Kid Cudi, Adele, Rufus Wai ...

, and produced by Sir

George Martin Sir George Henry Martin (3 January 1926 – 8 March 2016) was an English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, and musician. He was commonly referred to as the "Fifth Beatle" because of his extensive involvement in each of the B ...

. "The Reason" was released as the second single from the album in selected European countries on 24 November 1997. In France, it was issued as a double A-side single with "

My Heart Will Go On "My Heart Will Go On" is a 1997 song recorded by Canadian singer Celine Dion. The song serves as the main theme to James Cameron's blockbuster film ''Titanic'', based on an account of the transatlantic ocean liner of the same name which san ...

Background and release

wrote this song first for the band

Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of Steven Tyler (lead vocals), Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry (guitar), Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton (bass), Joey Kramer (drums) and Brad Whi ...

. Dion performed "The Reason" during her

Let's Talk About Love Tour The Let's Talk About Love World Tour is the eighth concert tour by Canadian recording artist Celine Dion. Visiting North America, Asia and Europe; the trek supported Dion's fifth English and fifteenth studio album ''Let's Talk About Love'' (1997) ...

, and as a duet with Carole King on VH1 Divas and at the 48° Festival di Sanremo on 1998 in Italy. On that occasion she also performed "My Heart Will Go On". The track was included later on ''

The Collector's Series, Volume One ''The Collector's Series, Volume One'' is a primarily English-language compilation album by Canadian singer Celine Dion, released by Columbia Records on 20 October 2000. The album was renamed ''Tout en amour'' (meaning ''All in Love'') in France. ...

'' in 2000 and '' My Love: Ultimate Essential Collection'' European edition in 2008. The recording of this song was included as a bonus on the ''

Au cœur du stade ''Au cœur du stade'' (meaning ''At the Heart of the Stadium'') is the fourth live album by Canadian singer Celine Dion, released by Columbia Records on 27 August 1999. It was recorded during two sold-out concerts at the Stade de France in Par ...

'' DVD. From 2011–2014, "The Reason" was included in the set list of Dion's Las Vegas show, '' Celine''. The song was also performed in Dion's 2017 tour and 2018 tour. "The Reason" was performed by Dion during her BST Hyde Park concert in London on 5 July 2019. The song was also performed during the first two US shows of Dion's

Courage World Tour The Courage World Tour is the fourteenth concert tour by Canadian singer Celine Dion, in support of her English-language studio album ''Courage'' (2019). It was her first world tour in over a decade, since her Taking Chances World Tour. The tou ...

in 2019. Carole King recorded also her own version of this song for her 2001 album '' Love Makes the World'', this time with Dion on backing vocals.

Critical reception

Pip Ellwood-Hughes from Entertainment Focus noted that the song "immediately reminds you of why Dion has become such a powerhouse." He added that "it highlights how she can pack power and emotion into everything she sings." British magazine ''

Music Week ''Music Week'' is a trade publication for the UK record industry distributed via a website and a monthly print magazine. It is published by Future. History Founded in 1959 as '' Record Retailer'', it relaunched on 18 March 1972 as ''Music W ...

'' gave it three out of five, stating that "Celine is back in classic

power ballad A sentimental ballad is an emotional style of music that often deals with romantic and intimate relationships, and to a lesser extent, loneliness, death, war, drug abuse, politics and religion, usually in a poignant but solemn manner.J. M. C ...

territory here, though this track lacks the mega hooks of her previous hits. More of an album taster than a Christmas number one." ''

The New York Observer ''The New York Observer'' was a weekly newspaper printed from 1987 to 2016, when it ceased print publication and became the online-only newspaper ''Observer''. The media site focuses on culture, real estate, media, politics and the entertainmen ...

'' editor Jonathan Bernstein reviewed, "It kicks off in time-honored fashion with a bombastic power ballad, "The Reason," co-written by

and produced by

Sir George Martin Sir George Henry Martin (3 January 1926 – 8 March 2016) was an English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, and musician. He was commonly referred to as the " Fifth Beatle" because of his extensive involvement in each of the Bea ...

. Thus, straight away, we find the inherent wrongheadedness of this record. Carole King hasn't written a memorable song in many a year and-hello?-didn't George Martin recently announce that he was quitting the producing racket because his hearing was going? The latter affliction was probably incurred by a silent prayer offered up during the recording of "The Reason" to be struck deaf". Bob Waliszewski of ''

Plugged In Focus on the Family (FOTF or FotF) is a fundamentalist Protestant organization founded in 1977 in Southern California by James Dobson, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The group is one of a number of evangelical parachurch organizations t ...

'' felt that it celebrate's love "and the affection of a good man". Christopher Smith from TalkAboutPopMusic declared the song as "a typical Celine mid-tempo ballad with plenty of high notes for Celine to hit and re-establish her presence."

Music video

The accompanying

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...

for "The Reason" was directed by

Scott Lochmus Scott Floyd Lochmus is an American producer and director who has worked with artists such as Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Jim Gaffigan, Michael Shannon, Prince, and The Rolling Stones. Early years Lochmus was born in Miami, Florida, and adopted ...

and released in December 1997. It was showing the recording of the song in the studio.

Formats and track listings

* European CD single #"The Reason" – 5:01 #"

Be the Man "Be the Man" (also titled "Be the Man (On This Night)") is a pop song by Canadian singer Celine Dion, recorded for her fifth English-language studio album, '' Let's Talk About Love'' (1997). It was written by Junior Miles and its producer David ...

" – 4:39 * French CD single (double A-side) #"The Reason" – 5:01 #"

" – 4:40 * UK cssette single #"The Reason" – 5:01 #"Be the Man" – 4:39 #"

The Christmas Song "The Christmas Song" (commonly subtitled "Chestnuts Roasting by an Open Fire" or, as it was originally subtitled, "Merry Christmas to You") is a classic Christmas song written in 1945 by Robert Wells and Mel Tormé. The Nat King Cole Trio f ...

" – 4:12 * European/UK CD maxi-single and French 12" single #"The Reason" – 5:01 #"Be the Man" – 4:39 #" Make You Happy" – 4:31 #"With this Tear" – 4:12 * UK CD maxi-single #2 #"The Reason" – 5:01 #"Cherche encore" – 3:24 #"Lovin' Proof" – 4:09 #"The Christmas Song" – 4:12 * European/UK promo single #"The Reason" (Radio Edit) – 4:30

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications and sales

Release history

Notes

*A Released as a

double A-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...

with "

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Reason, The 1997 singles 1997 songs 1990s ballads Celine Dion songs Columbia Records singles Epic Records singles Pop ballads Song recordings produced by George Martin Songs written by Carole King Songs written by Greg Wells Songs written by Mark Hudson (musician)